By Maddox Lowe, Sophia Sciulli, Piper Turri, and Jonathan Sackett
:: It’s been another week, and you know what that means. Our MDs give an update on the state of music with their second weekly recap!
:: September 28, 2025
:: Smashing Pumpkins — Chrome Jets
Genre: Alt Rock
The song, full of energy, is consistently upbeat (in terms of instrumentals not lyrics). The fast-paced drums and strum of the electric guitar contributes to the feelings of pain, art, and love. Additionally, there is a nice 20 second guitar riff. The lyrics are synonymous with the period between 90s grunge and 2000s punk— especially the part “D-I-E, are we in love?” Smashing Pumpkins remain in tune with their earlier songs as “Chrome Jets” follows the disturbance and damage that come from an Alternative Rock song.
— Sophia Sciulli
Ed Sheeran — Play
Genre: Pop
Recommended Tracks: “Azizam,” “Old Phone,” “Symmetry,” “A Little More”
This album is very soft, but I’d expect nothing less from Ed. I’m not a huge fan personally, but this man knows his way around an earworm. Every song on this album, even the bad ones, is incredibly catchy. I’ll be humming Ed Sheeran without realizing it for the foreseeable future. “A Little More” is easily the best song on the album, and not just because he’s rapping in British. “Heaven” is very musically interesting in an Ed Sheeran kinda way. Overall, kind of a boring, safe entry from our moms’ favorite redhead.
— Maddox Lowe
Leith Ross — I Can See The Future
Genre: Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter
Recommended Tracks: “Grieving,” “Point of View,” “Treasure,” “(I Can See) The Future”
Leith Ross is one of the most masterful lyricists I have ever heard, weaving together childhood nostalgia, present-day relationships, and future hopes with striking honesty. Hearing snippets of their songs teased on TikTok and Instagram and then experiencing the fully realized versions is truly rewarding. Many tracks on I Can See The Future turned out far different from what I expected—but in the best way possible. If you enjoy soft yet devastating lyrics paired with occasionally funky instrumentation, you’ll definitely want to give Leith Ross a listen—and explore the rest of their discography, too!
— Piper Turri
Platonic Sex — Face to the Flywire
Genre: Psychedelic Alt-Rock
Recommended Tracks: “Shark Teeth,” “Step Back,” “Fever Dream,” “Sun Goes Down”
I don’t know what they’ve tapped-into in the Land Down Under, but I’ve been really, really enjoying a lot of albums out of Australia recently. Face to the Flywire is no exception. Where many contemporary indie groups falter is in their subpar album experiences or their inconsistent singles. Platonic Sex masterfully blends sounds from across the vast indie soundscape. Each song stands on its own and within its context on the album. There’s a lot going on. If you enjoy 90s style-production, O’Riordan style vocals, and modern psychedelia, give it a listen! Besides, who could pass on a band with a name that good?
— Jonathan Sackett
Sophie Ellis-Bextor — Perimenopop
Genre: Indie Disco Pop
Recommended Tracks: “Stay on Me,” “Freedom of the Night,” “Relentless Love”
The album is upbeat and fun, encapsulating a disco-barbie soundtrack with elements of 1980s electronic pop. The lyrics, catchy and dancy (as one would expect), are mainly about love and loss. Nonetheless, there is enough variation among the songs in which the listener does not feel the burden of a contemporary Bubble-gum pop album. Rather, Perimenopop makes me want to get up out of my chair and go to a club in the UK.
— Sophia Sciulli
Your Smith — The Rub
Genre: Indie Pop
Recommended Tracks: “Change of Heart,” “Leaving You,” “Smooth Talker,” “Little Highways”
This album is heavily vocals-driven, but it works because the lead’s voice is amazing, and her moodiness complements the album’s overall vibes of love, loss, and the passage of time. She reminds me of Billie Eilish a little but definitely less emo. The style ranges from poppy to almost country-esque on a couple of tracks like “Hey There’s My Girl.” This album is remarkably cohesive in theme throughout, which provides for a great listening experience.
— Maddox Lowe
Wednesday — Bleeds
Genre: Rock
Recommended Tracks: “Elderberry Wine,” “Pick Up That Knife,” “Gary’s II”
While I’m not an avid rock listener, Wednesday’s indie edge, creative lyricism, and distinctive personality drew me in. Their songs are raw, powerful, and immersive, capturing the chaos of life while sharing vivid stories from growing up in the American South. The track I keep replaying is “Elderberry Wine”—a song that’s sweet with each sip and strong enough to linger.
— Piper Turri
The Prize — In the Red
Genre: Garage Rock
Recommended Tracks: “Static Love Affair,” “From the Night”
To the joy of garage enthusiasts everywhere, the crunchiest guitars are back! While this album isn’t particularly revolutionary, it’s solid. The production is a bit shaky here and there and the opening track, “Connie,” is not good, but if you like The Sonics, I’m sure you’d find something to enjoy here. “From the Night” is the best The Prize has to offer.
— Jonathan Sackett
Bob Dylan — Rocks and Gravel
Genre: Folk / Americana
Over a week ago, Bob Dylan released the single — Rocks and Gravel (Solid Road). It is a part of his new part of the volume 18 bootleg series, Through The Open Window: The Bootleg Series Vol. 18 (Highlights) — set to be released October 31st. The track, spanning from 1956-1963, embodies Dylan’s earlier musical style. Rocks and Gravel (Solid Road) points more towards a type of bluegrass and the first half of the 20th century folk. He uses an acoustic guitar and distinct voice — no harmonica — to communicate his travels and his “gal” coming after him. Early on in his career, Bob Dylan went the traditional route of folk music as it was not until the mid 1960s when he went electric. I am excited to see what the remaining songs on The Bootleg Series entail.
— Sophia Sciulli
::
Music Directors
The Music Directors here at WDCE are an elite strike force, one that is perpetually locked onto the pulse of global music and sound. What’s hip? What’s groovy? What do you need to know to sound indie, alt, and well-informed? Well our MDs have you covered. They listen pretentiously so we don’t have to! Thank you Music Directors!
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